Keyword: Quality Road

If there is one thing you can always count on in the Breeders' Cup it's that it will have it's share of longshot winners and mid-price overlays who get lost in the handicapping frenzy that is so much a part of the event.

Perhaps the best method of handicapping this year's perplexing Breeders' Cup Classic is to make a checklist comprising every major handicapping category that pertains to the race and see who qualifies in the most categories.

Summer Bird continued his meteoric rise to the top of the Thoroughbred ranks, as he turned back fellow 3-year-old Quality Road to win the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) by a length Oct. 3 at Belmont Park.

Though his racing career began just seven months ago, Summer Bird has accomplished extraordinary things in a short period of time. The Belmont Stakes (gr. I) and Shadwell Travers (gr. I) winner will try to defy the odds once again when he faces older horses for the first time in the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational (gr. I) Oct. 3 at Belmont Park.

Summer Bird continued his meteoric rise to the top of the nation's 3-year-old ranks, as he rolled through the slop for an easy 3 1/2-length score in the $1-million Shadwell Travers (gr. I) Aug. 29 at Saratoga.

A pair of quarter cracks may have kept Quality Road out of the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), but nearly four months later the record-setting 3-year-old will get his shot at the next best thing -- the Mid-Summer Derby.

Edward P. Evans' Quality Road put in his final breeze before the Aug. 29, grade I, $1-million Shadwell Travers at Saratoga Race Course, covering five furlongs over the muddy main track in :59.68, fourth fastest of 24 at the distance on the morning of Aug. 24.

Quality Road, expected to be among the favorites for the $1 million Shadwell Travers (gr. I), turned in his first work since his record-setting victory in the Amsterdam (gr. II) Aug. 16 at Saratoga, covering six furlongs in 1:13.19.

Quality Road came out of his record-setting performance in the Aug. 3 Amsterdam (gr. II) in good condition and will be pointed toward the Aug. 29 Shadwell Travers (gr. I) as planned, trainer Todd Pletcher reported Aug. 4.

A story about Rachel Alexandra seems out of place in a column about the Breeders' Cup, but who cares. That's between Jess Jackson and the Breeders' Cup decision makers. Even though there will be no launching of the Rachel rocket on Nov. 7, it's still fun to "count down" to the imaginary blast off.

The son of Elusive Quality broke a 30-year-old track record for six and half furlongs at Saratoga in his first start since winning the Florida Derby (gr. I) back in March. The former record of 1:14 2/5 was set by Topsider on Aug. 1, 1979.

Quality Road, the winner of the BlackBerry Presents the 58th Running of the Florida Derby (gr. I) who was one of the early favorites for the Kentucky classic before being sidelined with injuries, makes his return to competition in the Aug. 3 Amsterdam (gr. II) at Saratoga.

Tracy Farmer's Commentator, the expected elder statesmen of the $750,000 Whitney Handicap (gr. I) on Aug. 8 at Saratoga, turned in a bullet work over the Oklahoma track at Saratoga July 23, breezing five furlongs in :59.12.

Edward Evans' homebred Quality Road worked five furlongs in 1:01.41 July 17 at Belmont Park and is on track to make his first start in more than four months in the $150,000 Amsterdam (gr. II) at Saratoga on Aug. 3.

Edward P. Evans' Florida Derby (gr. I) winner Quality Road continued on the comeback trail as he breezed July 5 for the first time since being transferred to the stable of trainer Todd Pletcher on June 15.

Quality Road, winner of this year's Florida Derby (gr. I) and Fountain of Youth (gr. II), has been transferred from Jimmy Jerkens' barn to Todd Pletcher by owner and breeder Edward P. Evans, who also took five other horses away from Jerkens.

With Quality Road having returned to the track on May 3, galloping an eager 1 1/4 miles under exercise rider Juan Moreno, Jimmy Jerkens said the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) on June 6 remained a possibility for the Elusive Quality colt, who is owned by Edward P. Evans.

Wood Memorial (gr. I) winner I Want Revenge continued to be the top vote-getter in the latest National Thoroughbred Racing Association's 3-year-old poll of Thoroughbred as voted on by racing media representatives. I Want Revenge also held down the top spot the previous week.

Quality Road, who figured to be among the top choices for Saturday's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) will not start in the Run for the Roses, it was confirmed Monday morning by Chris Baker, farm manager of Edward Evans' Spring Hill Farm. Jockey John Velazquez will now ride Mr. Hot Stuff.

Quality Road, a contender for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), returned from a mile and three-quarter gallop on the Belmont Park training track April 26 with a tinge of blood from a newly-patched quarter crack, but his connections remain optimistic he will make the May 2 "Run for the Roses."

In an April 25 conference call, trainer Jimmy Jerkens reported that Quality Road jogged a couple of miles around the Belmont Park track and experienced no further problems with his latest quarter crack, which was patched by hoof specialist Ian McKinlay earlier in the morning.

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens expressed optimism on the afternoon of April 24 that Quality Road, a leading contender for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), would be able to make the May 2 classic after noted hoof specialist Ian McKinlay treated a second quarter crack in the colt's right-front hoof at Belmont Park.

Edward Evans' Quality Road, one of the favorites for next Saturday's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), has developed another quarter-crack, this one on the inside of his right-front hoof, putting his status for the Run for the Roses in question.

HRTV's weekly series analyzing the pursuit of the Triple Crown. This week's edition includes previews of the Arkansas Derby and Blues Grass Stakes, and recaps of the Wood Memorial, Santa Anita Derby, and Illinois Derby.

Quality Road, who had been battling a quarter crack since his victory in the Florida Derby (gr. I), worked a half-mile in :48 3/5 on the Belmont training track Friday and showed no ill effects from his injury, said trainer Jimmy Jerkens.

Quality Road's quarter crack suffered in the Florida Derby (gr. I) is much improved, and the colt was out for a gallop Wednesday morning after having his hoof patched, said foot specialist Ian McKinlay.

Foot specialist Ian McKinlay, who was in the news last year dealing with Big Brown's quarter crack prior to the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), is back on the Triple Crown trail once again, treating a lesser quarter crack suffered by Quality Road in the Florida Derby (gr. I).